WC football: The greatest show on earth

As euphoria over the World Cup (WC) football being hosted by Brazil, the five-time champions, sweeps all across the globe, the tidings in the host country cannot be considered ideal. Depressing news that the main stadium set for inauguration was yet to be ready for the big occasion along with protests by a section of Brazilians against enormous expenditure on infrastructure as prescribed by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) casts a dark shadow. Many believe the greatest show on earth could be hosted on a far more stringent budget. A large part of the total infrastructure will simply turn useless after the WC is over. A country like Brazil, now going through economic hardship, can ill afford the luxury of spending so much on mega projects soon to become white elephants. Had the Brazilian government of Dilma Rousseff been realistic and the FIFA bosses were less demanding, Brazil could host the event with the existing facilities plus a moderate addition of a few more.

Hopefully, the lingering shadow of uncertainty and dissent will finally disappear to give in to the high billing of the most popular and highly representative game the world has ever known. After all, here is an all-consuming game - one that has brought together entertainment at its most thrilling, commerce of great acumen, hero worship like a cult and fraternity of nations in a charged environment. Or how else, can the phenomenon of hoisting flags of great football-playing nations in Bangladesh which ranks way behind the leading nations be explained? It is this craze that makes Pele, Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar et al household names in the remote corners of the globe. People in the far corner of a country on another continent get divided over the superiority of teams and specially their favourite football heroes. Charged emotions at times lead to ugly brawls and bloody confrontation.

With the curtain lifting on the gala event, the attention of the world will get riveted to the matches. Football lovers in this part of the world will have to sacrifice their usual sleep if they intend to watch most of the matches on television because those will be held at dead of night. The Brazil team are definitely a favourite but their early exit can add fuel to the fodder. If the script of the World Cup football is not rewritten, there is little chance for the mighty Europeans to clinch the title on South American soil. The weather is said to pose a most daunting challenge before the European teams. Spain, the current holder, and Germany, which is in good form, may have the favourite's tags but it is Argentina with its battery quartet led by Lionel Messi appears to stand on Brazil's way of becoming champions.

Football has gone up a few notches because of heavy investment in it at the club levels. Professional footballers play for money when they play for their clubs but when it comes to national teams, they play for their pride, their national flags. There is nothing contradictory in this because money is not all and certainly inconsequential if one sets one's eyes on immortality in the game's history. The WC football offers players a chance for rising to immortality and football fans find themselves basking in their glory. It is because of it this game is special without any equal.